RE News: Sun May 6

Lifespan Religious Education
Norbert Capek, a UU minister who founded the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia, was looking for a way to unite his congregants through a spiritual experience together. In 1923, he created the flower ceremony that we hold each year. His wife Maja, also a UU minister, introduced U.S. congregations to the ritual when she visited. Tragically, Norbert perished in a concentration camp during WWII, but the beautiful ritual he created lives on in UU congregational life. Just as we bring different flowers to the service, we each bring our unique self to this congregation and in our exchanges we bask in each other’s beauty. When you take a different flower home this Sunday, you take with you a symbol of the connections made and all that blossoms from gathering in this faith community.

Please see the following six (6) announcements:

1) This Sun May 6
Children arrive at 9am to rehearse the Variety Show dance finale. For video of the song, CLICK HERE.

Children should be in the sanctuary at 9:25 to rehearse "Sakura," which they have been singing with Lyra each Sunday.
The children will sing the Japanese verse of "Sakura." For text and translation, CLICK HERE. For video of song, CLICK HERE.

All ages in the sanctuary for the Flower Service, except 8th-9th COA who meet in their classroom.

Bring a flower to this meaningful multigen service that includes the ritual of exchanging flowers.

To view the Religious Education Google calendar, CLICK HERE.
To view a spreadsheet version of the RE Calendar, CLICK HERE.

2) Pancake Brunch This Sun May 6
There will be flowers in the sanctuary and flour in the kitchen.

Join us after the Flower Celebration Service for a variety of pancakes.

Special Friends will finally meet at the brunch. Come to the specially decorated tables.

Hosted by Youth Group to support The New American Children’s Cultural Enrichment Fund.
$5/adult, $3/child, $15/family

3) Variety Show Next Sat May 12, 5pm
Raffle tickets for sale at the brunch this Sun.

Rehearsal - Fri, May 11, 4:30-7pm
(snacks provided)
Show - Sat, May 12, 5pm
(pizza for performers at 4:30pm)

Proceeds from this year's show will go to:
The New American Children’s Cultural Enrichment Fund.
This fund gives the children of refugees in Westchester County the opportunities they have not had to play sports, attend performances, or explore the arts.

JOIN IN NOW...

• Perform - contact Liz at elizabethsuvanto@hotmail.com
• Bake - contact Erin at fosterblatt@gmail.com
• Submit Recipes – contact Irene at irene.cox@gmail.com
Include 1 recipe with your own introduction/description/story (up to 200 words) and a photo of you/your family in the kitchen or elsewhere
• Donate Raffle Prizes - contact Liz at elizabethsuvanto@hotmail.com
(previous prizes: restaurant gift certificates, bouquets of flowers, wine, movie gift cards, games for kids (new only), chocolate and many more. If you are soliciting donations from local businesses, a letter explaining the background of the show and CUUC can be FOUND HERE.)

The Variety Show is not just for children to partake in - this is for EVERYONE AND ANYONE AT CUUC, and other local UU congregations, and your friends outside of CUUC!

4) College Scholarship Awards

Each year CUUC offers two scholarships in the amount of $250 for our graduating seniors. One scholarship is given in honor of Sylvia Schnall-Pierorazio and the other Rev. Betty Baker, both former CUUC Directors of Religious Education.

Please send a short essay on your contributions and leadership at CUUC, with a brief explanation of how the scholarship will be used and the names of two CUUC references to dlre@cucwp.org by May 31.

5) Unirondack Family & Friends Weekend May 25-28
Join other CUUC families at this Unitarian camp on Memorial Day weekend for family fun and connection.
A few of our families attended last year and had a great time.

For information and to register, CLICK HERE.
Contact Rebecca Rugg at rebeccaruggbiz@gmail.com to find out more from an attendee.

6) UU Summer Camps & Retreat Centers for Children, Youth, and Families
Unitarian Universalist retreat centers offer the opportunity to connect with UUs from around the country in fun and fellowship. Whether you are looking for a place to go as a family or somewhere for your kids to experience a fun camp, there are many amazing Unitarian Universalist summer destinations:

Ferry Beach is oceanfront in ME.

ferrybeach.org
The Mountain is atop the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC.
mountaincenters.org
The Rowe Center is in the Berkshire Mountains in MA.
rowecenter.org
Sophia Fahs RE Camp is one week in August on Shelter Island.
www.liacuu.org/Fahs
Star Island is a 46-acre island off the NH coast.
starisland.org
Unirondack is in the NY Adirondacks.
unirondack.org
Murray Grove is a Universalist retreat center nearby in NJ.
http://www.murraygrove.org/#!camping-in-the-grove/c15no
UUMAC Retreat is one week in July at DeSales University in PA.
uumac.org
The Central East Region offers a Summer Institute focused on climate change.
http://omdsi.org/
SUUSI is a weeklong multignerational event in North Carolina.
https://www.suusi.org/

Sincerely,
Perry
Director of Lifespan Religious Education and Faith Development